“Kingdom of Bones,” “The Hacienda” and other mysteries to read in June

“Kingdom of Bones,” by James Rollins (William Morrow)

Congolese people are attacked by a disease that turns them catatonic before it kills them. Animals and insects twice their normal size are violent predators. Even foliage seems to be going after humans. The Congo is running amuck. What to do? Well, bring in Sigma Force, of course.

The intrepid bio-warriors of Sigma Force launch a two-pronged search to find the source of the phenomenon before it spreads throughout Africa and beyond. First, they must find the Kingdom of Bones, which the Congolese claim is where the epicenter of the catastrophe. At the same time, they must rescue four researchers who have been kidnapped by the egomaniac CEO of a mining firm that unleashed the anomalies. The four — one is actually an undercover member of Sigma — are imprisoned in a guarded compound in the middle of the jungle.

Commander Gray Pierce and his Sigma Force — including Kane, the wonder dog — are up to the challenge as they smash through jungles and confront high-tech guards. Against tremendous odds, the men face improbable tasks in their attempt to save the world from biological disaster.

(The most intrepid of them is Kane. Readers will be pulling for him most of all.)

“The Hacienda,” by Isabel Canas (Berkley)

If these walls could talk … . Well, these walls talk. In fact, the whole house talks and screams and threatens, and it’s not pretty.

In 1823, following the death of her father in the aftermath of the bloody Mexican war for independence, Beatriz marries Rudolfo,  owner of a large hacienda and maguey plantation in the countryside. Rudolfo is a lucky catch.

After living with disdaining relatives, Beatriz wants nothing more than security and a home of her own. On her first night in the hacienda, however, she sees red eyes in the dark and hears strange noises that leave her edgy. After Rudolfo leaves her to return to the capital city, Beatriz is terrorized by doors slamming in the night, strange voices, and hands that try to push her down the stairs.  She begins to believe that the house is trying to kill her.

Beatriz can’t turn to her unwelcoming sister-in-law, Juana, who refuses to live in the house. Nor to the housekeeper, with her herbs and strange markings that she makes on the floor. Only Paloma, the housekeeper’s daughter, and Andres, a priest, seem sympathetic. Andres grew up on the plantation and understands the house and its moods. He believes the evil spirit behind the deadly attacks is Rudolfo’s first wife, whose empty grave is in the family cemetery. It is her eyes that Beatriz saw on her first night in the house. Only Andres, with his own frightening secret, can help. He knows witchcraft.

As Beatriz uncovers truths about her husband and his family, the hacienda tries harder and harder to destroy her until she and Andres clash with it in a blood-curdling confrontation. It’s enough to make you take a second look at your home.

“Blood Will Tell,” by Heather Chavez (William Morrow)

From the time they were girls, Frankie Barrera has cleaned up her sister Izzy’s messes. Now, Izzy has taken Frankie’s truck without permission, and Frankie is being accused of abducting a 17-year-old girl. What complicates things is that the girl is the sister of Rachel, a friend of Izzy’s who disappeared five years earlier, at a party where Izzy was wasted.

Izzy can’t remember what happened back then, only that she called her sister to pick her up because she was too drunk to drive. Izzy insisted she had run into Rachel with her car, but Frankie can find only the remains of a deer. She made the decision to stop searching and take Izzy to the hospital, where the girl barely survived alcohol poisoning. Later, Frankie discovered hair and blood on the car Izzy was driving, and each sister suspects that Izzy may have killed Rachel.

Five years later, Rachel’s body is found. She was stabbed to death. Frankie sets out to find out what happened at the party and prove that Izzy is not guilty of the murder.

“Blood Will Tell” is a murder mystery as well as the story of two sisters. Izzy is trying to clean up her act and stand on her own two feet, while Frankie is trying too hard to protect her. That leads to an inevitable clash that endangers both of them.

“City on Fire,” by Don Winslow (William Morrow)

The publisher of “City on Fire” likes to claim that it is a modern-day “Iliad,” and in many ways it is. Two Mafia-like gangs, the Irish and the Italians, divide up crime in Providence. That decision to stay out of each other’s turf has brought gang peace for many years. The two groups even socialize together — that is, until an Irish son goes after an Italian gangster’s beautiful girlfriend. What could have been settled in a friendly way gets out of hand and leads to bitter warfare, as the two gangs attempt to destroy each other.

At the heart of the warfare is Danny Ryan. His father headed up the Irish gang until he was disgraced. Now, Danny is married to the daughter of the new Irish don. He wants to get out, but against his will, he becomes the group’s leader. Trapped, he leads the violence against the Italians — and against outsiders who want to take over Providence after the two gangs have destroyed each other.

Written by Don Winslow, author of more than 20 best-sellers, “City on Fire” is superb. Danny is an engaging character, a young man caught up in unwanted destiny. But the zinger is the dialogue. It rings so true that you might think you’re eavesdropping in an Italian restaurant or an Irish bar in an ethnic neighborhood in Providence.